Showing papers in "Environmental Health Perspectives in 2013"

The Broad Scope of Health Effects from Chronic Arsenic Exposure: Update on a Worldwide Public Health Problem

Abstract: Background: Concerns for arsenic exposure are not limited to toxic waste sites and massive poisoning events. Chronic exposure continues to be a major public health problem worldwide, affecting hundreds of millions of persons. Objectives: We reviewed recent information on worldwide concerns for arsenic exposures and public health to heighten awareness of the current scope of arsenic exposure and health outcomes and the importance of reducing exposure, particularly during pregnancy and early life. Methods: We synthesized the large body of current research pertaining to arsenic exposure and health outcomes with an emphasis on recent publications. Discussion: Locations of high arsenic exposure via drinking water span from Bangladesh, Chile, and Taiwan to the United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level (MCL) in drinking water is 10 µg/L; however, concentrations of > 3,000 µg/L have been found in wells in the United States. In addition, exposure through diet is of growing concern. Knowledge of the scope of arsenic-associated health effects has broadened; arsenic leaves essentially no bodily system untouched. Arsenic is a known carcinogen associated with skin, lung, bladder, kidney, and liver cancer. Dermatological, developmental, neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular, immunological, and endocrine effects are also evident. Most remarkably, early-life exposure may be related to increased risks for several types of cancer and other diseases during adulthood. Conclusions: These data call for heightened awareness of arsenic-related pathologies in broader contexts than previously perceived. Testing foods and drinking water for arsenic, including individual private wells, should be a top priority to reduce exposure, particularly for pregnant women and children, given the potential for life-long effects of developmental exposure.

Solid fuel use for household cooking: country and regional estimates for 1980-2010.

Abstract: Background: Exposure to household air pollution from cooking with solid fuels in simple stoves is a major health risk. Modeling reliable estimates of solid fuel use is needed for monitoring trends ...

Management Options for Reducing the Release of Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance Genes to the Environment

Abstract: Background: There is growing concern worldwide about the role of polluted soil and water environments in the development and dissemination of antibiotic resistance.Objective: Our aim in this study ...

Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) for environmental development and transfer of antibiotic resistance.

Abstract: Background: Only recently has the environment been clearly implicated in the risk of antibiotic resistance to clinical outcome, but to date there have been few documented approaches to formally assess these risks. Objective: We examined possible approaches and sought to identify research needs to enable human health risk assessments (HHRA) that focus on the role of the environment in the failure of antibiotic treatment caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Methods: The authors participated in a workshop held 4–8 March 2012 in Quebec, Canada, to define the scope and objectives of an environmental assessment of antibiotic-resistance risks to human health. We focused on key elements of environmental-resistance-development “hot spots,” exposure assessment (unrelated to food), and dose response to characterize risks that may improve antibiotic-resistance management options. Discussion: Various novel aspects to traditional risk assessments were identified to enable an assessment of environmental antibiotic resistance. These include a) accounting for an added selective pressure on the environmental resistome that, over time, allows for development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB); b) identifying and describing rates of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in the relevant environmental “hot spot” compartments; and c) modifying traditional dose–response approaches to address doses of ARB for various health outcomes and pathways. Conclusions: We propose that environmental aspects of antibiotic-resistance development be included in the processes of any HHRA addressing ARB. Because of limited available data, a multicriteria decision analysis approach would be a useful way to undertake an HHRA of environmental antibiotic resistance that informs risk managers. Citation: Ashbolt NJ, Amezquita A, Backhaus T, Borriello P, Brandt KK, Collignon P, Coors A, Finley R, Gaze WH, Heberer T, Lawrence JR, Larsson DG, McEwen SA, Ryan JJ, Schonfeld J, Silley P, Snape JR, Van den Eede C, Topp E. 2013. Human health risk assessment (HHRA) for environmental development and transfer of antibiotic resistance. Environ Health Perspect 121:993–1001; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1206316

Improving the Human Hazard Characterization of Chemicals: A Tox21 Update

Abstract: Background: In 2008, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Toxicology Program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Center for Computational Toxicology, an...

Long-Term Exposure to Urban Air Pollution and Mortality in a Cohort of More than a Million Adults in Rome

Abstract: Background: Few European studies have investigated the effects of long-term exposure to both fine particulate matter (≤ 2.5 µm; PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on mortality.Objectives: We studied...

Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) Exposures and Incident Cancers among Adults Living Near a Chemical Plant

Abstract: Background: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a synthetic chemical ubiquitous in the serum of U.S. residents. It causes liver, testicular, and pancreatic tumors in rats. Human studies are sparse.Obj...

Climate and dengue transmission: evidence and implications.

Abstract: Background: Climate influences dengue ecology by affecting vector dynamics, agent development, and mosquito/human interactions. Although these relationships are known, the impact climate change wil...

Neighborhood effects on heat deaths: social and environmental predictors of vulnerability in Maricopa County, Arizona

Abstract: Background: Most heat-related deaths occur in cities, and future trends in global climate change and urbanization may amplify this trend. Understanding how neighborhoods affect heat mortality fills an important gap between studies of individual susceptibility to heat and broadly comparative studies of temperature–mortality relationships in cities. Objectives: We estimated neighborhood effects of population characteristics and built and natural environments on deaths due to heat exposure in Maricopa County, Arizona (2000–2008). Methods: We used 2000 U.S. Census data and remotely sensed vegetation and land surface temperature to construct indicators of neighborhood vulnerability and a geographic information system to map vulnerability and residential addresses of persons who died from heat exposure in 2,081 census block groups. Binary logistic regression and spatial analysis were used to associate deaths with neighborhoods. Results: Neighborhood scores on three factors—socioeconomic vulnerability, elderly/isolation, and unvegetated area—varied widely throughout the study area. The preferred model (based on fit and parsimony) for predicting the odds of one or more deaths from heat exposure within a census block group included the first two factors and surface temperature in residential neighborhoods, holding population size constant. Spatial analysis identified clusters of neighborhoods with the highest heat vulnerability scores. A large proportion of deaths occurred among people, including homeless persons, who lived in the inner cores of the largest cities and along an industrial corridor. Conclusions: Place-based indicators of vulnerability complement analyses of person-level heat risk factors. Surface temperature might be used in Maricopa County to identify the most heat-vulnerable neighborhoods, but more attention to the socioecological complexities of climate adaptation is needed.

In utero and childhood polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) exposures and neurodevelopment in the CHAMACOS study.

Abstract: background: California children’s exposures to polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants (PBDEs) are among the highest worldwide. PBDEs are known endocrine disruptors and neurotoxicants in ani...

Maternal Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution and Term Birth Weight: A Multi-Country Evaluation of Effect and Heterogeneity

Abstract: Background: A growing body of evidence has associated maternal exposure to air pollution with adverse effects on fetal growth; however, the existing literature is inconsistent. Objectives: We aimed to quantify the association between maternal exposure to particulate air pollution and term birth weight and low birth weight (LBW) across 14 centers from 9 countries, and to explore the influence of site characteristics and exposure assessment methods on between-center heterogeneity in this association. Methods: Using a common analytical protocol, International Collaboration on Air Pollution and Pregnancy Outcomes (ICAPPO) centers generated effect estimates for term LBW and continuous birth weight associated with PM10 and PM2.5 (particulate matter ≤ 10 and 2.5 μm). We used meta-analysis to combine the estimates of effect across centers (~ 3 million births) and used meta-regression to evaluate the influence of center characteristics and exposure assessment methods on between-center heterogeneity in reported effect estimates. Results: In random-effects meta-analyses, term LBW was positively associated with a 10-μg/m3 increase in PM10 [odds ratio (OR) = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.05] and PM2.5 (OR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.18) exposure during the entire pregnancy, adjusted for maternal socioeconomic status. A 10-μg/m3 increase in PM10 exposure was also negatively associated with term birth weight as a continuous outcome in the fully adjusted random-effects meta-analyses (-8.9 g; 95% CI: -13.2, -4.6 g). Meta-regressions revealed that centers with higher median PM2.5 levels and PM2.5:PM10 ratios, and centers that used a temporal exposure assessment (compared with spatiotemporal), tended to report stronger associations. Conclusion: Maternal exposure to particulate pollution was associated with LBW at term across study populations. We detected three site characteristics and aspects of exposure assessment methodology that appeared to contribute to the variation in associations reported by centers.

Air pollution exposure and lung function in children: the ESCAPE project.

Abstract: Background: There is evidence for adverse effects of outdoor air pollution on lung function of children. Quantitative summaries of the effects of air pollution on lung function, however, are lackin...

Pit Latrines and Their Impacts on Groundwater Quality: A Systematic Review

Abstract: Background: Pit latrines are one of the most common human excreta disposal systems in low-income countries, and their use is on the rise as countries aim to meet the sanitation-related target of the Millennium Development Goals. There is concern, however, that discharges of chemical and microbial contaminants from pit latrines to groundwater may negatively affect human health. Objectives: Our goals were to a) calculate global pit latrine coverage, b) systematically review empirical studies of the impacts of pit latrines on groundwater quality, c) evaluate latrine siting standards, and d) identify knowledge gaps regarding the potential for and consequences of groundwater contamination by latrines. Methods: We used existing survey and population data to calculate global pit latrine coverage. We reviewed the scientific literature on the occurrence of contaminants originating from pit latrines and considered the factors affecting transport of these contaminants. Data were extracted from peer-reviewed articles, books, and reports identified using Web of ScienceSM, PubMed, Google, and document reference lists. Discussion: We estimated that approximately 1.77 billion people use pit latrines as their primary means of sanitation. Studies of pit latrines and groundwater are limited and have generally focused on only a few indicator contaminants. Although groundwater contamination is frequently observed downstream of latrines, contaminant transport distances, recommendations based on empirical studies, and siting guidelines are variable and not well aligned with one another. Conclusions: In order to improve environmental and human health, future research should examine a larger set of contextual variables, improve measurement approaches, and develop better criteria for siting pit latrines.

Long-term exposure to road traffic noise and incident diabetes: a cohort study.

Abstract: Background: Road traffic noise at normal urban levels can lead to stress and sleep disturbances. Both excess of stress hormones and reduction in sleep quality and duration may lead to higher risk f...

Methods to Calculate the Heat Index as an Exposure Metric in Environmental Health Research

Abstract: Background: Environmental health research employs a variety of metrics to measure heat exposure, both to directly study the health effects of outdoor temperature and to control for temperature in s

Evaluation of the Association between Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and Diabetes in Epidemiological Studies: A National Toxicology Program Workshop Review

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a major threat to public health in the United States and worldwide. Understanding the role of environmental chemicals in the development or progression of diabetes is an emerging issue in environmental health. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the epidemiologic literature for evidence of associations between persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Using a PubMed search and reference lists from relevant studies or review articles, we identified 72 epidemiological studies that investigated associations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with diabetes. We evaluated these studies for consistency, strengths and weaknesses of study design (including power and statistical methods), clinical diagnosis, exposure assessment, study population characteristics, and identification of data gaps and areas for future research. CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity of the studies precluded conducting a meta-analysis, but the overall evidence is sufficient for a positive association of some organochlorine POPs with type 2 diabetes. Collectively, these data are not sufficient to establish causality. Initial data mining revealed that the strongest positive correlation of diabetes with POPs occurred with organochlorine compounds, such as trans-nonachlor, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dioxins and dioxin-like chemicals. There is less indication of an association between other nonorganochlorine POPs, such as perfluoroalkyl acids and brominated compounds, and type 2 diabetes. Experimental data are needed to confirm the causality of these POPs, which will shed new light on the pathogenesis of diabetes. This new information should be considered by governmental bodies involved in the regulation of environmental contaminants.

Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Flame Retardants: Temporal Variability and Correlations with House Dust Concentrations

Abstract: Background: A reduction in the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) because of human health concerns may result in an increased use of and human exposure to organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs). Human exposure and health studies of OPFRs are lacking. Objectives: We sought to define the degree of temporal variability in urinary OPFR metabolites in order to inform epidemiologic study design, and to explore a potential primary source of exposure by examining the relationship between OPFRs in house dust and their metabolites in urine. Methods: Nine repeated urine samples were collected from 7 men over the course of 3 months and analyzed for bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCPP) and diphenyl phosphate (DPP), metabolites of the OPFRs tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPP), respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to characterize temporal reliability. Paired house dust and urine samples were collected from 45 men. Results: BDCPP was detected in 91% of urine samples, and DPP in 96%. Urinary BDCPP showed moderate-to-strong temporal reliability (ICC range, 0.55–0.72). ICCs for DPP were lower, but moderately reliable (range, 0.35–0.51). There was a weak [Spearman r (rS) = 0.31] but significant (p = 0.03) correlation between urinary BDCPP and TDCPP concentrations in house dust that strengthened when nondetects (rS = 0.47) were excluded. There was no correlation between uncorrected DPP and TPP measured in house dust (rS < 0.1). Conclusions: Household dust may be an important source of exposure to TDCPP but not TPP. Urinary concentrations of BDCPP and DPP were moderately to highly reliable within individuals over 3 months.

The Impact of Endocrine Disruption: A Consensus Statement on the State of the Science

Abstract: Perspectives | Editorial The Impact of Endocrine Disruption: A Consensus Statement on the State of the Science doi:101289/ehp1205448 Ake Bergman, 1 Jerrold J Heindel, 2,a Tim Kasten, 3,b Karen A Kidd, 4 Susan Jobling, 5 Maria Neira, 6,c R Thomas Zoeller, 7 Georg Becher, 8 Poul Bjerregaard, 9 Riana Bornman, 10 Ingvar Brandt, 11 Andreas Kortenkamp, 5 Derek Muir, 12 Marie-Noel Brune Drisse, 6,c Roseline Ochieng, 13 Niels E Skakkebaek, 14 Agneta Sunden Bylehn, 3,b Taisen Iguchi, 15 Jorma Toppari, 16 and Tracey J Woodruff 17 1 Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; 2 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA; 3 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Geneva, Switzerland; 4 Department of Biology & Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; 5 Institute for the Environment, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, United Kingdom; 6 Department of Public Health and Environment, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; 7 Biology Department, Morrill Science Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA; 8 Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; 9 Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 10 Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; 11 Department of Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; 12 Aquatic Ecosystems Protection Research Division, Water Science & Technology Directorate, Environment Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada; 13 Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya; 14 University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; 15 Department of Bioenvironmental Science, Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki Aichi, Japan; 16 Departments of Physiology and Paediatrics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; 17 Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California, USA In 2002, the joint International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) published a report titled Global Assessment of the State-of-the-Science of Endocrine Disruptors (http://wwwwhoint/ ipcs/publications/new_issues/endocrine_disruptors/en/) Since 2002, intense scientific work has improved our understanding of the impacts of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on human and wildlife health, such that in 2012, the UNEP and WHO, in collaboration with international experts, have produced an updated document on EDCs, State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals - 2012 (http:// wwwwhoint/ceh/publications/endocrine/en/indexhtml) that includes scientific information on human and wildlife impacts and lists key concerns for decision makers and others concerned about the future of human and wildlife health The basis for these key concerns is described in the State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals - 2012 (http://wwwwho int/ceh/publications/endocrine/en/indexhtml) and includes extensive references to the science behind the concerns A shorter summary, primarily for decision makers, elabo­rates on the key concerns listed below and and also on suggested considerations related to EDCs (State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals - 2012: Summary for Decision-Makers; http://wwwwhoint/ceh/publications/endocrine/en/ indexhtml) The key concerns noted in the State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals - 2012 (http://wwwwhoint/ceh/publications/ endocrine/en/indexhtml) are as follows: • Human and wildlife health depends on the ability to reproduce and develop normally This is not possible without a healthy endocrine system • Three strands of evidence fuel concerns over endocrine disruptors: ǹ ǹ The high incidence and the increasing trends of many endocrine- related disorders in humans; ǹ ǹ Observations of endocrine-related effects in wildlife populations; ǹ ǹ The identification of chemicals with endocrine disrupting proper- ties linked to disease outcomes in laboratory studies • Many endocrine-related diseases and disorders are on the rise ǹ ǹ Large proportions (up to 40%) of young men in some countries have low semen quality, which reduces their ability to father children ǹ ǹ The incidence of genital malformations, such as non-descending testes (cryptorchidisms) and penile malformations (hypospadias), in baby boys has increased over time or levelled off at unfavour- ably high rates ǹ ǹ The incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth and low birth weight, has increased in many countries ǹ ǹ Neurobehavioural disorders associated with thyroid disruption affect a high proportion of children in some countries and have increased over past decades ǹ ǹ Global rates of endocrine-related cancers (breast, endometrial, ovarian, prostate, testicular and thyroid) have been increasing over the past 40–50 years ǹ ǹ There is a trend towards earlier onset of breast development in young girls in all countries where this has been studied This is a risk factor for breast cancer ǹ ǹ The prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes has dramatically increased worldwide over the last 40 years WHO estimates that 15 billion adults worldwide are overweight or obese and that the number with type 2 diabetes increased from 153 million to 347 million between 1980 and 2008 • Close to 800 chemicals are known or suspected to be capable of inter- fering with hormone receptors, hormone synthesis or hormone con- version However, only a small fraction of these chemicals have been investigated in tests capable of identifying overt endocrine effects in intact organisms ǹ ǹ The vast majority of chemicals in current commercial use have not been tested at all ǹ ǹ This lack of data introduces significant uncertainties about the true extent of risks from chemicals that potentially could disrupt the endocrine system • Human and wildlife populations all over the world are exposed to EDCs ǹ ǹ There is global transport of many known and potential EDCs through natural processes as well as through commerce, leading to worldwide exposure ǹ ǹ Unlike 10 years ago, we now know that humans and wildlife are exposed to far more EDCs than just those that are POPs [persis- tent organic pollutants] ǹ ǹ Levels of some newer POPs in humans and wildlife are still increasing, and there is also exposure to less persistent and less bioaccumulative, but ubiquitous, chemicals Address correspondence to A Bergman, Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden E-mail: akebergman@mmksuse United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) address: 13 chemin des Anemones, CH-1219 Chatelaine, Geneva, Switzerland a The author is an employee of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH); any statements, opinions, or conclusions contained herein do not necessar- ily represent the statements, opinions, or conclusions of the NIEHS, NIH, or the US government b The authors are staff members of the United Nations Environment Programme (ASB is now retired) The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this article, and they do not necessarily represent the decisions or policies of the United Nations Environment Programme c The authors are staff mem- bers of the World Health Organization (WHO) The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this publication, and they do not necessarily represent the views, decisions, or policies of the WHO This article should not be reproduced for use in association with the promotion of commercial products, services, or any legal entity The WHO does not endorse any specific organization or products Any reproduction of this article cannot include the use of the WHO logo The authors declare they have no actual or potential competing ­financial interests A 104 Environmental Health Perspectives volume 121 | number 4 | April 2013 •

Enablers and Barriers to Large-Scale Uptake of Improved Solid Fuel Stoves: A Systematic Review

Abstract: Background: Globally, 2.8 billion people rely on household solid fuels. Reducing the resulting adverse health, environmental, and development consequences will involve transitioning through a mix o...

Environmental noise pollution in the United States: developing an effective public health response.

Abstract: Background: Tens of millions of Americans suffer from a range of adverse health outcomes due to noise exposure, including heart disease and hearing loss. Reducing environmental noise pollution is a...

Transgenerational inheritance of increased fat depot size, stem cell reprogramming, and hepatic steatosis elicited by prenatal exposure to the obesogen tributyltin in mice.

Abstract: Background: We have previously shown that exposure to tributyltin (TBT) modulates critical steps of adipogenesis through RXR/PPARγ and that prenatal TBT exposure predisposes multipotent mesenchymal

Perinatal air pollutant exposures and autism spectrum disorder in the children of Nurses' Health Study II participants.

Abstract: Objective: Air pollution contains many toxicants known to affect neurological function and to have effects on the fetus in utero. Recent studies have reported associations between perinatal exposur...

Phthalate Concentrations and Dietary Exposure from Food Purchased in New York State

Abstract: Background: Phthalates have been found in many personal care and industrial products, but have not previously been reported in food purchased in the United States. Phthalates are ubiquitous synthetic compounds and therefore difficult to measure in foods containing trace levels. Phthalates have been associated with endocrine disruption and developmental alteration. Objectives: Our goals were to report concentrations of phthalates in U.S. food for the first time, specifically, nine phthalates in 72 individual food samples purchased in Albany, New York, and to compare these findings with other countries and estimate dietary phthalate intake. Methods: A convenience sample of commonly consumed foods was purchased from New York supermarkets. Methods were developed to analyze these foods using gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy. Dietary intakes of phthalates were estimated as the product of the food consumption rate and concentration of phthalates in that food. Results: The range of detection frequency of individual phthalates varied from 6% for dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) to 74% for di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). DEHP concentrations were the highest of the phthalates measured in all foods except beef [where di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) was the highest phthalate found], with pork having the highest estimated mean concentration of any food group (mean 300 ng/g; maximum, 1,158 ng/g). Estimated mean adult intakes ranged from 0.004 μg/kg/day for dimethyl phthalate (DMP) to 0.673 μg/kg/day for DEHP. Conclusions: Phthalates are widely present in U.S. foods. While estimated intakes for individual phthalates in this study were more than an order of magnitude lower than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reference doses, cumulative exposure to phthalates is of concern and a more representative survey of U.S. foods is indicated.

Air pollution and respiratory infections during early childhood: an analysis of 10 European birth cohorts within the ESCAPE Project

Abstract: Background: Few studies have investigated traffic-related air pollution as a risk factor for respiratory infections during early childhood. Objectives: We aimed to investigate the association between air pollution and pneumonia, croup, and otitis media in 10 European birth cohorts—BAMSE (Sweden), GASPII (Italy), GINIplus and LISAplus (Germany), MAAS (United Kingdom), PIAMA (the Netherlands), and four INMA cohorts (Spain)—and to derive combined effect estimates using meta-analysis. Methods: Parent report of physician-diagnosed pneumonia, otitis media, and croup during early childhood were assessed in relation to annual average pollutant levels [nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), PM2.5 absorbance, PM10, PM2.5–10 (coarse PM)], which were estimated using land use regression models and assigned to children based on their residential address at birth. Identical protocols were used to develop regression models for each study area as part of the ESCAPE project. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted effect estimates for each study, and random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate combined estimates. Results: For pneumonia, combined adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were elevated and statistically significant for all pollutants except PM2.5 (e.g., OR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.65 per 10-μg/m3 increase in NO2 and OR = 1.76; 95% CI: 1.00, 3.09 per 10-μg/m3 PM10). For otitis media and croup, results were generally null across all analyses except for NO2 and otitis media (OR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.16 per 10-μg/m3). Conclusion: Our meta-analysis of 10 European birth cohorts within the ESCAPE project found consistent evidence for an association between air pollution and pneumonia in early childhood, and some evidence for an association with otitis media.

Toxicological Function of Adipose Tissue: Focus on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Abstract: Background: Adipose tissue (AT) is involved in several physiological functions, including metabolic regulation, energy storage, and endocrine functions. Objectives: In this review we examined the evidence that an additional function of AT is to modulate persistent organic pollutant (POP) toxicity through several mechanisms. Methods: We reviewed the literature on the interaction of AT with POPs to provide a comprehensive model for this additional function of AT. Discussion: As a storage compartment for lipophilic POPs, AT plays a critical role in the toxicokinetics of a variety of drugs and pollutants, in particular, POPs. By sequestering POPs, AT can protect other organs and tissues from POPs overload. However, this protective function could prove to be a threat in the long run. The accumulation of lipophilic POPs will increase total body burden. These accumulated POPs are slowly released into the bloodstream, and more so during weight loss. Thus, AT constitutes a continual source of internal exposure to POPs. In addition to its buffering function, AT is also a target of POPs and may mediate part of their metabolic effects. This is particularly relevant because many POPs induce obesogenic effects that may lead to quantitative and qualitative alterations of AT. Some POPs also induce a proinflammatory state in AT, which may lead to detrimental metabolic effects. Conclusion: AT appears to play diverse functions both as a modulator and as a target of POPs toxicity.

Health and Household Air Pollution from Solid Fuel Use: The Need for Improved Exposure Assessment

Abstract: Background: Nearly 3 billion people worldwide rely on solid fuel combustion to meet basic household energy needs. The resulting exposure to air pollution causes an estimated 4.5% of the global burd...

Exercise attenuates PCB-induced changes in the mouse gut microbiome.

Abstract: Background: The gut microbiome, a dynamic bacterial community that interacts with the host, is integral to human health because it regulates energy metabolism and immune functions. The gut microbiome may also play a role in risks from environmental toxicants. Objectives: We investigated the effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and exercise on the composition and structure of the gut microbiome in mice. Methods: After mice exercised voluntarily for 5 weeks, they were treated by oral gavage with a mixture of environmentally relevant PCB congeners (PCB153, PCB138, and PCB180; total PCB dose, 150 µmol/kg) for 2 days. We then assessed the microbiome by determination of 16S rRNA using microarray analysis. Results: Oral exposure to PCBs significantly altered the abundance of the gut microbiome in mice primarily by decreasing the levels of Proteobacteria. The activity level of the mice correlated with a substantial shift in abundance, biodiversity, and composition of the microbiome. Importantly, exercise attenuated PCB-induced changes in the gut microbiome. Conclusions: Our results show that oral exposure to PCBs can induce substantial changes in the gut microbiome, which may then influence their systemic toxicity. These changes can be attenuated by behavioral factors, such as voluntary exercise.

Prenatal exposure to environmental phenols: concentrations in amniotic fluid and variability in urinary concentrations during pregnancy.

Abstract: Background: Maternal urinary biomarkers are often used to assess fetal exposure to phenols and their precursors. Their effectiveness as a measure of exposure in epidemiological studies depends on t...

Risk of incident diabetes in relation to long-term exposure to fine particulate matter in Ontario, Canada.

Abstract: Background: Laboratory studies suggest that fine particulate matter (≤ 2.5 µm in diameter; PM2.5) can activate pathophysiological responses that may induce insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. H...

Air Pollution and Individual and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status: Evidence from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Abstract: Background: Although research has shown that low socioeconomic status (SES) and minority communities have higher exposure to air pollution, few studies have simultaneously investigated the associat...